2013 – The year of responsibility

It is not uncommon for countries and International Organisations to give designations to calendar years in an effort to highlight a particular concern, campaign or sector for focus.

I might be a bit audacious here but I would like to confer upon the impending year (2013), for all of Grenada and all Grenadians, the designation Year of Responsibility.

Let us start at the very top. Mr. Prime Minister we have listened to you extol the merits of transparency…etc., when in truth and in fact the simple virtue of unity would have served you and Grenada much better. You and only you are responsible for your political legacy and the first three months of 2013 will prove crucial in that regard.

In 1989, in one of his Carnival renditions, a song entitled ‘Tell Stone’, the Black Wizard lamented the number of nincompoops on the radio stations. Sadly, since then there has been a multiplying effect, with media managers, radio station owners, the Media Association and Governments all failing to act responsibly to ensure some sort of filtering takes place and the quality of broadcasts reflect the Christian society we conveniently claim to be.

About religious responsibility or lack thereof, a couple of lines from the reigning Calypso Monarch of Dominica will suffice. In a 2008 winning composition entitled ‘Send Me’, King Dice sang, “If the voice of the people is the voice of God, why is the silence of the Church so loud…Tell Pastor or Priest there’s wrong; now practice what you preach…”

There is an Old Proverb, originating from the Nigerian Igbo culture that says it takes a village to raise a child. Grenadians at some point in our history practiced that kind of communal responsibility where children were expected to respect their elders, teachers, parents, each other etc.

We have collectively taken leave of these responsibilities and seem to devote our strengths to playing the blame game. Regrettably the adults seem to think the young people in our society are responsible for their own upbringing.

2013 would be a good year for the roles to be re-established. Adults should be adults and conduct themselves in a manner befitting adulthood and let children once again be children.

2013 is expected to be a very important and definitive election year and with 16 or so political parties, the expectation here is for collective responsibility as our dear Grenada is balanced precariously on the precipice of economic instability.

The lies and promises, name-calling and gutter-like behaviour would not get us out of this debacle. If you are serious about wanting to govern Grenada, then exhibit a modicum of responsibility when the political spotlight is brightest.

For the bandwagonists and leeches of our society, who somehow always seem to be able to opportunely align themselves with whichever Political Party is in office at a particular time; in most instances you become responsible for the political demise of said Party. Your selfish behavioural pattern relegates Ruling Parties to Opposition Parties whether the year is 2008 or 2013.

While it is my sincere hope that 2013 brings with it a renewed sense of responsibility there are those, among us, who in the face of immense challenges continue to perform their duties resolutely and with the responsibility we should all admire.

Our Teachers and Medical Practitioners continue to perform commendably. Individuals from these 2 sectors are responsible for miracles on a daily basis. Let us hope your continued resilience would serve as motivation for others as we approach 2013.

“We must exchange the philosophy of excuse – what I am is beyond my control – for the philosophy of responsibility.” Former US Member of Congress Barbara Charline Jordan.

I am Dexter Mitchell and I am responsible for the contents of this article.